Buy it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/Y64a4U
Monday, March 18, 2013
'Endless' Excerpt for Tawdra Kandle's Facebook Event
-- Seth leaned back on the grass, forehead wrinkled in thought. “That’s a tough one. Well, I guess, no, I don’t think any of us are locked into anything. You know? We have free will. We can choose a path, and then if we start to realize we’re going down the wrong one, we can turn back. Start over. Right?” He looked deep into my eyes again, as though he could see my soul. I was mesmerized and only nodded.--
Review of 'Profiles #5: The Vietnam War' by Daniel Polansky
Description
It takes more than one person to bring about War. This book will follow the lives of six key players during one of the most controversial wars in history.Profiles is so much more than just your typical biography. The next book in our six-in-one, full-color bio series will focus on the five W's of the Vietnam War--who, what, where, when, and why. Kids will learn all of the biographical information they need to know (background, family, education, accomplishments, etc.) about: Ho Chi Minh (prime minister of Democratic Republic of Vietnam) John F. Kennedy (US president 1961-1963), Lyndon B. Johnson (US president (1963-1969), Ngo Dinh Diem (president of South Vietnam), Henry Kissinger (US National security advisor), and William Westmoreland (US army general). This book will help illuminate one of the most controversial wars in American history for a new generation of readers.
**My thoughts**
When I was in school, the Vietnam War had been over for several years, yet no one talked about it. It was like a passing mention in a textbook. This book serves to teach the next generation more about what shaped those that came before them and to what so much media refers in our current conflicts.
The book focuses on six men who were instrumental in the conflict, each with approximately the same number of pages of information given to each one. Each one of them had a different role in the war and different reasons for their participation. Each one had different opinions of the conflict. By presenting all six of them, this book allows for a broader and more balanced look at the controversial war.
Each man's personal history, as it relates to the conflict, is given in his biographical sketch. Political reasoning and maneuvering, and military tactics are both discussed. I felt like I learned a lot from reading this book, that I had missed out on when taking history classes at a younger age.
The only thing that caught my eye was impeachment being defined as "the process by which Congress removes the president from office" when discussing Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon. Impeachment is actually the process of bringing formal charges against someone in public office, such as the President, but not necessarily removing them from office. Removal from office can result from impeachment, though. A recent example is President Clinton, who was impeached, charged and put on trial for misconduct, but was not removed from office. This stuck out to me, because I remember having this discussion in our limited coverage of the Vietnam War in high school. I also double-checked the definition at Dictionary.com and other sources.
The end of the book also includes a brief timeline outlining the major events of the conflict, a glossary of terms used throughout, and a bibliography for future reference.
I think this book would be appropriate for middle grades through adult, as one reference for studies of the Vietnam War.
I received an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Buy links: Amazon \ Barnes & Noble
Sunday, March 17, 2013
'Endless (King Series #4)' by Tawdra Kandle Facebook Event 3/18
When her new part-time job leads to more than she bargained for, she is thrown into a deadly fight against forces of evil that she didn’t even know existed. Mastering her extraordinary gifts—along with the strength of an endless love—may be the only weapon that can guarantee her a happily ever after.
Buy on Amazon
Please join us for a fun filled afternoon Monday, March 18th from 3-5 EST (12-2 PST)
Tawdra Kandle is the author of THE KING SERIES, a young adult urban fantasy quartet. Born in South Jersey, Tawdra published her first short story at the age of 13 in Child's Life magazine. During the early years of her marriage and motherhood, she wrote articles and columns on parenting and homeschooling, as well as some homeschooling curriculum. THE KING SERIES is her first published full-length fiction. Tawdra currently lives in central Florida with her husband, and children, both skin and fur types. And yes, she has purple hair.
Amazon Author Page
Blog
Hope to see you all there!!
Brought to you by the Release Day Diva
Friday, March 15, 2013
Cover Reveal! 'Colour Wielders (Heirs of the Magykal Realm Series)' by Dawna Raver
Colour
Wielders
Heirs of the Magykal Realm Series Book One
Heirs of the Magykal Realm Series Book One
Dawna
Raver
Genre:
New Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy Romance
Publisher:
Curiosity Quills Press
Word
Count: 133k
Cover
Artist: Ricky Gunawan
Book Description:
Behind the Mysts, hidden from Mortal eyes, is a land where Gods and creatures of myth and legend dwell. And in the Mortal Realm, their Princess lives.
Quinn Sinclair is clueless to who she is. She thinks she's an ordinary young woman—well, mostly ordinary—living an ordinary life with her less than loving mother in Conifer, Colorado. On the night of her birthday, Quinn finds herself betrayed by a man who sends her life spinning out-of-control.
As she struggles to pick up the pieces, a vision of a man with haunting tourmaline-blue eyes begs her for help, and she finds herself transported into a Magykal battle forever changing her life.
Arik Morgaine—demi-god bad boy and outcast of the Magykal Realm—tried to avoid contact with Princess Quinn Sinclair for eighteen years, not wanting to make good on an old threat. But the fates have other plans. Arik can no longer deny his growing desire for Quinn, or the need to protect her from those wanting to control her burgeoning powers. Can the two of them come together and save the Magykal Realm from being destroyed by the Darkest of Magyks, or will powers beyond their control destroy them and their world forever?
About
the Author:
Dawna Raver is an the author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Colour Wielders, book one of the Heirs of the Magykal Realm series, is her first novel. When she's not spending time in her fantasy world, Dawna loves football, reading, and pretending she's a top chef in the kitchen. Oh, and worshipping her dogs and husband.
'Afterlife Academy' by Jaimie Admans Release Day Party!
We’re celebrating the release day for YA Paranormal novel ‘Afterlife Academy’ today. Come join us to
read an excerpt from this hilarious YA novel by author Jaimie Admans. Purchase your copy of ‘Afterlife
Academy’ here: Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Jaimie is also organizing a launch party on Facebook! You can join in the fun here: http://www.facebook.com/events/498255523543345/
Even being dead isn’t enough to get you out of maths class.
Dying wasn’t on sixteen-year-old Riley Richardson’s to-do list. And now, not only is she dead, but she’s stuck in a perpetual high school nightmare. Worse still, she’s stuck there with the geekiest, most annoying boy in the history of the world, ever.
In a school where the geeks are popular
and just about everything is wrong, Riley has become an outcast. She
begins a desperate quest to get back home, but her once-perfect life
starts to unravel into something not nearly as great as she thought it
was. And maybe death isn’t really that bad after all…
Read an excerpt:
CHAPTER 2
“You remember,” Anthony says, his
voice snapping me out of my reverie.
“We killed you.”
“That is…
quite possible,” he says after a pause.
I don’t know
what to say to that. “I’m sorry,” I mumble eventually, even
though that doesn’t even begin to cover it. “It was an accident.”
He shrugs. “You
told him to slow down. I heard you. It’s not your fault.”
“Wade didn’t
mean to hurt you. I know he can be a bit cruel sometimes but he
didn’t mean to get physical.”
“I think we’re
a little past physical by now, don’t you, Riley?”
I pause for a
while and look around. “How did we get here?” I ask, feeling more
than a little sick. Shouldn’t we be in hospital or something?
Perhaps a morgue, in Anthony’s case?
It’s a dream. It
has to be a dream. I must have fallen asleep during history class
again. Any minute now I’ll wake up and it will be time to sneak out
the back and meet Wade for a drive.
It will. I swear
it will.
“I know it’s a
stupid question,” Anthony says. “But where do you think all the
houses went? And the cars? And the shop?”
“I don’t
know,” I say. “I think this is some kind of freakish dream. Maybe
an experiment in one of your beloved science classes. But we’re
going to wake up any minute and everything will be fine.”
“This is a
frigging nightmare,” he says. “If it was a dream I wouldn’t be
stuck here with you.”
“Well, thank
you,” I mutter. “I can think of more interesting people to be
with than you too.”
“Yeah well, why
don’t you and Sophie steal my glasses during maths again? That was
a fun afternoon.”
I blush at the
memory. “Yeah, I’m sorry about that. I didn’t realise the
teacher would write to your gran. You could’ve just grassed us up,
you know.”
“Oh yeah,
because you wouldn’t have had your minions backing you up. You
wouldn’t have had ten girls willing to do anything to be part of
your gang. No one would have hidden my glasses to get you off the
hook and me into even more trouble.”
“I am sorry,”
I say.
“Whatev… Hey,
has that always been there?”
He points to a
sign on the grass a few feet in front of us.
“Yeah,” I
glance towards it. “It’s just the name of the school so people
don’t—”
Welcome
to Afterlife Academy. A prefect will be along shortly.
I stare at it.
Then I look at Anthony and then I look back at the sign.
“It’s never
said that before… has it?”
“What the hell
is Afterlife Academy?” he says. “That isn’t our school.”
I think about that
for a minute.
“Well, it’s
kind of grey,” I say. “Our school doesn’t look like this.”
“It’s the
mist,” Anthony says. “It’s not really that grey. It’s just
the mist playing tricks with the light.”
I nod but I don’t
really believe him. Mist doesn’t make red bricks grey. It doesn’t
make every surrounding object grey. It just makes things misty.
“Maybe someone
will be along in a minute. We should wait, like the sign says.”
Anthony looks up
at the sky.
You can see that
it’s still daytime through the fog.
“So where is
everyone? This place should be swarming with students. Maybe we
should go inside.”
“The gate’s
locked.”
“We could climb
it.”
“Hang on a
minute,” I tell him. “Firstly, this skirt was not made for
climbing. And secondly, the gate is locked and we are on the outside
of it. Maybe there’s a reason for that.”
“And that reason
would be?”
I shrug. “Maybe
there was an explosion in chemistry class. Maybe something went
wrong. Somehow we got out. And we should stay out.”
“Don’t you
think we would remember an explosion in chemistry class?”
“Well, you
would,” I snap. “Given the amount of notes you take.”
“Notes help you
study,” he responds.
“There are more
important things in life than studying.”
“Like joyriding
with your boyfriend?”
“It was not…
Hey, have you seen Wade anywhere?”
“You mean since
he hit me with his car? No.”
“How weird is
that? We were together. We were together like ten minutes ago. And
now he’s disappeared.”
“Riley,
everything has disappeared. Look at this street. Where are we? We’re
in the driveway of our school, but we’re on a different street.
This is too weird.”
“So there’s
been some kind of noxious gas leak. Some other kind of natural
disaster that somehow we’ve escaped from.”
“What’s the
last thing you remember?” He stares at me intently. “The very
last thing?”
I think for a
moment.
“You,” I tell
him. “Your body. On the windscreen. And a lot of blood. And then we
hit something. I couldn’t see anything because there was so much
blood, but there was a huge crash and—”
“And now we’re
in a place called Afterlife Academy. What does that say to you?”
“Are you kidding
me? You think we’re dead? You think we’re ghosts or something?”
He shrugs.
“You really are
a nutjob. I mean, I always thought you were a nutjob, but in an
I-enjoy-maths kind of way. Not in an I-am-actually-a-complete-nutjob
kind of way.”
He doesn’t
respond.
“So, where’s
Wade?” I ask. “He was in the accident too and he’s not here.”
“I don’t know,
okay, Riley?” Anthony suddenly snaps at me. “I don’t know. The
last thing I remember is pain. A lot of pain. And being flung across
the bonnet of your car. And now I’m standing outside my school,
except everything is wrong about it, and I’m with the biggest bitch
in my year.”
“I am not a
bitch,” I snarl at him.
“You are to me,”
he says simply. “Somewhere inside you must be nice because so many
people like you. But I’ve never seen anything other than a complete
bitch.”
“That is so
unfair,” I say. “Okay, we tease you sometimes. But you have to
admit you’re an easy target.”
“Why does anyone
need to be a target? Why do you need to put someone else down to make
yourself feel better?”
“Hey, I resent
that. I do not—”
“Could you two
shut the hell up for one
bloody minute?”
We both jump out
of our skins and spin in the direction of the voice.
There is a boy
about our age standing inside the gate watching us. When the hell did
he get there? I look over at Anthony and he looks as shocked as I am.
Neither of us saw him approach.
“Who are you?”
I ask.
I don’t
recognise him. I know pretty much everyone in this school, and I’ve
never seen him before. He’s weird-looking enough that I’d
remember him. He’s young, but his hair is slicked back like
something out of the 1940s. And he’s almost completely grey. His
skin is grey. His clothes are grey and seriously old-fashioned. His
hair is a dark, ashy colour. Everything about him is grey.
Everything about
this whole place is grey.
“Riley
Richardson and Anthony Marsden?” the strange boy asks.
“Who are you?”
I ask him again.
“Please report
to the principal’s office immediately.”
And with that he
is gone.
Literally gone.
Not walked away.
Just vanished. Into thin air.
But now the gates
are open.
“Okay,” I
stutter, looking at Anthony. “Did you just see that? Please tell me
you just saw that.”
“I saw it,” he
says. “You still think I’m a nutjob?”
“Always,” I
tell him. “But we can’t be dead. We can’t be. I’m sixteen. I
can’t die at sixteen.”
“People can die
at any age, Riley,” he says. “If you paid more attention in class
you would know that.”
“Do not lecture
me,” I growl. “I pay plenty of attention in class. My grades are
very good, I’ll have you know. Not that my grades have anything to
do with you anyway.”
“I don’t see
how,” he says. “All you do is gossip or text on the phone you’re
not supposed to have or torment people who are actually listening.
Or—”
“My phone!” I
interrupt. “My bag! My stuff! Where is everything? I had a bag with
me just now. It was in the back of the car.”
“Mine’s gone
too,” Anthony says.
“Great. Not only
has there been some kind of freakish gas leak but we’ve been mugged
as well.”
“I don’t think
this is a gas leak,” he says. “And I don’t think we’ve been
mugged.”
“No, you think
we’re both bloody dead. That’s a much more viable option.”
“Look,” he
says, “I’m not ruling anything out. I’m just saying that the
last thing either of us remembers is a car accident. And now we’re
back at school, but everything looks wrong and a very strange guy
just vanished into thin air right in front of us.”
“Who was that
guy?” I ask.
“How am I
supposed to know that?”
I shrug.
“The sign says a
prefect will be here. Maybe he was a prefect.”
“Weird-looking
prefect. Not that everything isn’t looking a bit strange at the
moment,” I mutter.
“Yeah, well,
maybe we should do what he said.”
“We should
report to the principal’s office?”
He shrugs. “He
told us to. And he knew our names.”
“You know, this
is reminding me of that movie where the guy wakes up from a coma and
the whole world has been infested with zombies.”
“I could be
wrong, but I don’t think there’s been a zombie outbreak,” he
says.
“So where is
everyone? And everything?”
“Look, let’s
just go and see the principal. If anyone can explain what’s going
on, it will be him.”
“Yeah? Because I
vote that we run away.”
“To where,
Riley? Look at this street. It’s the right street but it’s wrong.
There should be a roundabout and a railway bridge just up there, but
there’s nothing but fog. Where do you think we’re going to get
to?”
“I don’t
know,” I admit. “But we should do something.”
“That guy didn’t
ask us our names. He already knew them. What does that tell you?”
“This is a
really creepy situation and we should get the hell out of here?”
“It tells me
that they were expecting us. It tells me that the principal is
waiting for us.”
“Yeah, to eat
us. Because he’s a zombie.”
Anthony rolls his
eyes but his lips twitch up into a smile.
“We don’t even
know where the principal’s office is,” I counter.
“This is our
school. The principal’s office is in the same place it always is.”
“So why is it
called—” I read the sign on the grass and grab Anthony’s arm.
“Do you see that?” I ask him.
“Welcome
to Afterlife Academy,” he reads. “Please
report to the principal’s office immediately.”
“Okay, now
that’s just plain weird. That sign used to say that a prefect would
come along, and now it says something different. When on earth did
they have time to paint the sign without us noticing?”
“I don’t think
they did,” he says slowly.
“So what, it’s
a magic sign now?”
“For God’s
sake, Riley. The sign said that a prefect would come along. The
prefect came and told us to go see the principal. Now the sign is
telling us to go and see him because so far all we’ve done is stand
here and argue.”
“But how did it
change?” I whine. “This just proves that this is a nightmare and
we should both just stand here until we wake up.”
“Riley…”
“No,” I snap.
“Signs don’t just change of their own accord. That sign is solid
metal. It’s been there for years. It says ‘Welcome to Bellfield
Comprehensive School. You are here.’ And there’s a map. So this
is either a nightmare or a really sick joke. Oh my god, that’s it!
Wade was really pissed off with me for telling him not to be cruel to
you. He’s done something to us. Probably drugged us or something.
This is some kind of weird drug trip.”
“Whatever it is,
I think we should do what we’ve been told.”
“Oh, you’re
always such a goody two-shoes. Always doing what the teachers tell
you.”
“Insult me all
you like. I’m going to see the principal and get this whole mess
straightened out. You can stay here if you want.”
“You know, Wade
is probably hiding somewhere laughing at us right now.”
“Whatever,”
Anthony says and he begins to walk away.
The thought of
standing here by myself fills me with dread, so even though he’s
the class geek and clearly a complete loon, I run after him anyway.
Afterlife Academy is her third novel and she hopes you enjoy it. There are plenty more on the way!
Website: http://www.jaimieadmans.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/be_the_spark
Facebook: http://facebook.com/jaimieadmansbooks
Cover Reveal! 'Stripped' by Brooklyn Skye
Release
Date: 05/14/13
Cover
designed by: Lisa Poff
Photography
Cover
reveal organized by: YA Bound
Summary
from Goodreads:
“I
like you.” His voice is low and soft, which I don’t deserve. I look away, down
the rutted parking lot.
“Don’t…waste
those words on me.”
He
touches my cheek. “You just need someone to show you.”
“No.”
I ease back again. “I don’t. So please, Torrin, stop trying to swoop in and
save me. I don’t need saving.”
College
freshman Quinn Montgomery will do anything to avoid the mistake her sister
made—killing herself over a boy. But when she is forced into nude modeling at a
local college to support her family after a bankruptcy, she begins to crack,
just enough to let Torrin, the university’s top varsity oarsman, see that the
real Quinn is not as feisty and unapproachable as she wants everyone to think.
But letting someone in comes at a steep cost and, it turns out, Torrin is
connected to Quinn’s family in more ways than she could ever imagine.
About
the Author
Brooklyn
Skye is an author, editorial intern, and just your average awkward girl
(especially on the phone!). Her new adult debut, STRIPPED, releases May 2013!
Follow
Brooklyn at:
Click
HERE
to sign up to participate in the blog tour for Stripped.
***GIVEAWAY***
Enter
below to win a signed hardcopy of STRIPPED (if U.S. winner) or an e-copy
with Authorgraph (if international winner)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thursday, March 14, 2013
'Rapture' by Phillip W. Simpson
YA DystopianDate Published: 12/1/2011
The Rapture has occurred - the end of the world. The faithful have risen up to Heaven. Those left behind are in a living hell. Armed only with his swords and his wit, a teenage boy wanders this post-apocalyptic world alone, separated forever from everyone he loves. Cursed by his demonic heritage, he must now embark on a quest that will take him across the US to the City of Angels.
Read an excerpt:
As soon as this thought entered his mind, it was interrupted by a demonic presence to his left. A cluster of Lemure surged out of what had once been the local coffee house, screaming as they advanced. Sam sprinted around a wrecked SUV to give himself some breathing room, drawing both swords.
He swung around to his left, still at full stretch. Whether by good luck or by displaying a higher than usual level of intelligence, three of the Lemure hadn’t fallen for the ploy. They met him on the other side of the SUV, running as hard as he was. Sam didn’t even pause. He struck high then low and spun around to deliver a double blow to the third Lemure. All three turned to ash in his wake.
He kept sprinting, skirting around the wrecks in the middle of Main Street, heading east. It was opposite to the direction he wanted to head in but he would double back later in order to confuse his pursuers.
Sensing that the demons were falling behind, Sam slowed to a fast jog. He could keep this pace up for hours if he needed to. Before the Rapture, he had often run into the Rockies and back before the sun had even snuck up over the horizon. Night-time was when he always trained, away from prying eyes. He always felt stronger in the dark. Hikari had told him that his night vision was much better than any other humans, something he had suspected when he realized he could see almost perfectly in all but the most absolute darkness.
It was just as well because now the only light came from the moon, which was hardly a great source of illumination. Normally, street lights, the frontages of residential homes, the odd shop open for a late night and the occasional car would provide ample light for the average resident. It was odd running through the small town like this, guided only by the malevolent red glow from above.
Disturbingly, despite his injuries, Sam felt even stronger right at that moment, almost as if the moon was energizing him. He looked up, hoping to catch a glimpse of a star in the now cloudless sky. There were none. Had been none since the Rapture. The stars, once beautiful and sparkling in the clear country air, had all fallen. Where they had landed, Sam had no idea. He just knew that they weren’t in the sky anymore.
Suddenly a shadow fell across the moon, a strong wind buffeting him from above.
He’d sensed the presence of the Astaroth but he was far, far too late. Too late and too slow. Cursing himself for his lack of concentration, Sam attempted to roll but felt something lift him off his feet with a powerful jolt. It was the Astaroth alright. Clearly, those wings weren’t for show, he thought wryly as the Astaroth slowly gained height. Luck had been on his side though. Instead of those mighty talons piercing his skin, they had merely jagged his backpack.
Then Sam remembered what were in his hands. What had been in his hands all the way down Main Street. His swords. He swept both up at the same time, each aiming for a different leg, and felt a savage surge of satisfaction as the iron weapons both connected and bit deeply. The Astaroth roared so loudly that, if Sam had been able to, he would’ve covered his ears. Instead, he found himself falling. Surprisingly quickly. He thought, rather belatedly, that he hadn’t actually planned this out very carefully.
The ground rushed up to meet him.
Author Bio:Phillip W. Simpson is an author of mostly children's books - both fiction and non-fiction.
As well as being a writer, he is an elementary school teacher. Career highlights include being in the army, gaining a Masters in Archaeology, owning a comic shop, becoming obsessed with martial arts and oriental weapons and turning down a job at the British museum.
His YA novel RAPTURE (the first in the Rapture trilogy) was released Sept 1st, 2011 by Pear Jam books. RAPTURE is a dystopian/post-apocalyptic story about the end of the world featuring demons, angels and a half demon protagonist caught in the middle. RAPTURE was shortlisted for the Sir Julius Vogel award for best Youth novel.
Book 2, TRIBULATION, was released in December, 2012. The final book, APOCALYPSE, will be out early 2013.
On a personal note, he is married to Rose, has a son (Jack) and two border terriers, Whiskey and Raffles. He loves fishing, reading, football (soccer) and single malt Whiskeys.
Website info:
http://www.rapturetrilogy.com
http://www.phillipwsimpson.com
http://www.phillipwsimpson.co.nz
Blog: http://www.phillipwsimpson.com/blog.html
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PhillipWSimpson.Author
Follow me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/#!/PhillipWSimpson
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5167118.Phillip_William_Simpson
Buy Links:
Smashwords author page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/authorphillipwsimpson
Amazon: \ Rapture (Kindle version) \ Tribulation (Kindle version) \ Apocalypse (Kindle version)
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Review of 'Dark Summer' by Lizzy Ford
A school for Witchlings...
The ultimate choice between Light and Dark...
Where the price of a mistake...is your soul.
Sixteen-year-old Summer doesn’t expect her new boarding school to be any different than the rest: a temporary stay, until her uncontrollable magic gets her thrown out again. In her mind, there’s no point in getting too friendly with anyone. That is, until she notices Decker, the boy who will become the Master of Night and Fire on his eighteenth birthday.
When she learns that this special school has attracted others with magic in their blood, she is hopeful that this time around, things may be different. Besides, she can’t deny her interest in Decker, and when he rescues her one night from the dark forests of the Rocky Mountains, their connection is instant.
Yet a relationship with Decker may prove to be Summer’s downfall, forcing her to choose between Light and Dark, life and death, love – and their souls.
One choice. One soul. One price.
**My thoughts**
I am new to Lizzy Ford's books. Man, am I glad I started with this one! Summer has bounced around from school to school, because she had a tendency to cause problems in her previous ones. For example, setting your school on fire by accident when you get mad tends to be frowned upon in most circles.
This school is her last resort. From the very beginning, you are drawn into her story as she first meets the "good twin" Beck where the bus drops her off, and then the other, darker twin, Decker. Summer is new to the idea of being a witchling, let alone that there are light and dark factions. She is also new to having friends, but finds a few as she gets settled. It's already hard enough being a teenager and an orphan, let alone unraveling your special talents!
There is the usual teen angst and the obnoxious girls who wear a size zero and tell her she is fat in a size four. (That part really made me crazy!) The Mean Girls play some rotten tricks on Summer, who is already confused enough as it is. And of course, there are the gorgeous twins. Decker sounds like a dream, even if he is the "dark twin." You just can't fight those instant spiritual connections!
One of the things I really liked about this book is how the lines between good and evil are blurred with those who represent the Light and the Dark. Some of those who are considered "Light" are actually really mean. Likewise, some of those who are considered "Dark" are actually quite wonderful. I like not having a clear definition between good and evil.
There are plenty of twists and turns. I found myself exclaiming out loud and giving a few choice words to some of the characters in some scenes. Summer has a huge battle ahead of her, as do Beck and Decker. The ending is a cliffhanger and I am impatiently awaiting the rerelease of the next installment!
I received an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Buy link: Amazon
Cover Reveal! 'The Reborn: The Book of Dain' by Casse Narome - Coming 3/21/13
Book Info-
Title-The Reborn: The Book of Dain
by Casse Narome
Genre -YA Paranormal Romance
Release date 3/21/13 from Bayou Brew Publishing
Blurb-
Dain has lived a total of ninety-nine different lifetimes and in every single one he has loved the same girl. But now Tara is gone and in her place there stands Bonnie, the complete opposite of Tara. Is Dain's shot at love over or has he lived all these lives because he has been loving the wrong girl?
Title-The Reborn: The Book of Dain
by Casse Narome
Genre -YA Paranormal Romance
Release date 3/21/13 from Bayou Brew Publishing
Blurb-
Dain has lived a total of ninety-nine different lifetimes and in every single one he has loved the same girl. But now Tara is gone and in her place there stands Bonnie, the complete opposite of Tara. Is Dain's shot at love over or has he lived all these lives because he has been loving the wrong girl?
READ AN EXCERPT-
Oh my God. I held my breath. This was going to happen. The giddiness was almost too much to take, but as she unzipped my pants, I heard a door upstairs open and close with a bang.
We both froze.
Bonnie’s eyes opened wide with obvious terror.
“Holy shit,” I whispered. “Your parents?”
She shook her head and pushed me off of her. “Worse. My brothers.”
I jumped up and scooped up our shirts before I tossed her one. I buttoned my jeans in a mad rush and shook out the shirt as the basement door opened. I glanced at the shirt in my hand, frowned at how tiny it looked, and groaned. Yes, I had tossed Bonnie a shirt, the wrong shirt. As the stairs creaked, I looked over at Bonnie and her enormous eyes widened even more.
“That’s mine,” she whispered, my shirt nearly drowning her body.
I groaned again as two boys stepped into the room and one pair of feet stopped just an inch from a condom that I must have abandoned when Bonnie had pushed me away.
I saw the guys soak in the scene—me with no shirt on, Bonnie swallowed by the wrong one. The taller of the two bent and picked up the condom at his feet. Where was the second condom? Collectively, our gazes moved to my hand where the second condom and Bonnie’s shirt still lingered.
I couldn’t move, other than to let the shirt and the partially opened condom wrapper fall from my hand. Bonnie shut her eyes tight as the condom, of course, landed on top of the shirt.
Both guys frowned angrily as they glared at me. The smaller one, who still stood at six foot something, spoke, “Your fly is open.”
I was dead.
Casse Narome is the alter-ego of a self-proclaimed awesome weirdo who spent her childhood reading and daydreaming. As an adult that is also how she spends her time only now she writes her daydreams down for everyone to read. Casse is never serious, has been accused of wishing her life was a sitcom, laugh track and all, has a bad habit of talking out loud to herself and she is fine with being a little insane. She spends way too much time online, too much money buying books and laughing at her own jokes. You will find her on Twitter being very random and spewing her opinions. When you see her online, tell her to get back to her writing! Or just engage her in a hilarious random conversation.
She blogs book reviews and the adventures of being a writer at www.CatholicKittie.blogspot.com & www.CasseNarome.blogspot.com
She is an avid tweeter www.twitter.com/catholickittie
She is also on Facebook www.facebook.com/CasseNarome
'Russian Dolls' by Cristelle Comby Promo Blitz!
Date Published:3/13/2013
Alexandra Neve is a student at University College London whose world suddenly falls apart. When her best friend jumps from the university’s rooftop, she can’t stop herself from asking, ‘Why?’ The police rule her friend’s death a suicide and for them the case is closed — so whom can she turn to for help?
Sometimes the person you need the most is the one you least expect to find, and in this case it’s none other than Ashford Egan, a blind middle-aged history professor, who’s more willing than most to listen to what she has to say.
Neve and Egan are as different as they come. She’s restless, careless at times, and fearless when the need arises, while he’s almost the complete opposite: a deep thinker with an analytical mind, a highly rational and collected individual.
As they enter the violent world of the Russian mafia, they must overcome their differences and learn to work together. It’s their only chance if they want to survive.
Read an excerpt:
I don’t find much more information on Anthony Anderson and eventually stop researching for lack of interesting leads. I spend Monday morning tailing him, instead. I leave the flat at the crack of dawn in my mother’s old blue Fiat Punto and drive all the way up to the Andersons’, my camera on the passenger seat.
I park a little farther up the road, turn off the engine and check the camera. Mr Anderson’s dark Mercedes passes me, at six thirty. I snap two pictures, before turning on the ignition and following him at a reasonable distance.
He goes straight to work and disappears in an underground car park that requires an ID card.
I open the car door and move to the boot. I reach down for one of my short winter duffle jackets and a black cap. I shrug both on and then grab a small parcel, before closing the boot and walking to the Credit Suisse building.
I force myself to walk in as casually as I can, and approach the reception with a look I hope is confident.
‘Morning,’ I say to the young man at the desk. ‘Urgent delivery for Anthony Anderson.’
The young lad narrows his eyes on the parcel and then looks me up and down. I square my jaw. Time to see whether my plan’s going to work.
I pinned a badge on my chest. I made it up on my laptop, with a fake logistic company name and logo, and my name and picture. The cap on my head bears the same logo. It’s actually one of my old white caps that I craftily hand-painted last night.
‘Sure,’ the man says with an easy smile. ‘Leave it here; I’ll see that it’s delivered with the morning mail.’
‘Sorry, but it’s hand delivery only.’ I shrug apologetically.
‘Fine.’ The man motions to one of the men minding the elevator. ‘He’ll escort you.’
That’s not what I had planned. I smile nonetheless and follow the bulky man through the lobby.
The elevator doors close after us and I stand immobile in a corner. Porca vacca, Lexa! Why didn’t you think it through? I’ve been too hasty again. How could I think that they would just let me wander the hallways on my own? My cover will be blown if Anderson catches sight of me, and there I am, being escorted straight to him. Way to go, Lexa!
My escort takes me to an office and we stop in front of a secretary.
‘Parcel for Mr Anderson,’ I tell her, fighting hard to prevent my voice from quivering.
He has to be here, just behind the large wooden doors that bear his name. She’s going to call him and he’ll come right out and see me and then it’ll be goodnight Vienna!
Cristelle Comby was born and raised in the French-speaking area of Switzerland, somewhere between Geneva and Lausanne, where she still resides.
Thanks to her insatiable thirst for American and British action films and television dramas, her English is fluent.
She attributes to her origins her ever-peaceful nature and her undying love for chocolate. She has a passion for art, which also includes an interest in drawing and acting.
Russian Dolls is her first new-adult novel, and she’s hard at work on the next titles in the series.
Contact Cristelle Comby:
www.cristelle-comby.com
Twitter: @Cristelle
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cristelle.comby
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